Powered wire-tying tool

ABSTRACT

A HANDTOOL FOR WIRE TYING OF REINFORCING BARS OR THE LIKE IS SHAPED FOR PISTOL GRIP HANDLING AND VALVE TRIGGERING, AND IS PROVIDED WITH A WIRE FEEDER, STRUCTURE FOR GUIDING THE WIRE INTO A LOOP AROUND THE BARS, A WIRE CUTTER AND A TWISTER, ALL OPERABLE DURING EACH CYCLE OF A RECIPROCABLE, PNEUMATIC PISTON. THE STEM OF THE PISTON ROTATES A CHUCK HAVING JAWS WHICH GRIP THE ENDS OF THE LOOP DURING TWISTING. ONE OF THE JAWS NOT ONLY ACTUATES THE FEEDER BUT HAS A WIRE CUTTER THEREON OPERABLE THROUGH A SECONDARY PNEUMATIC DRIVE. A LOST-MOTION ASSEMBLY PERMITS SELECTION OF LOOP SIZE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIMENSION OF THE OBJECT BEING TIED.

United States Patent 1 3,587,668

[72] inventor James E-Ward 3,323,558 6/1967 Collins 140/93 984 Seco St.. Glendora, Calif. 91103 3,368,590 2/1968 Welden i. 140/93 [2| I Appl. No. 758,263 3,369,573 2/1968 Baker et a] 140/93 [22] Filed Sept. 9,1968 3,354,915 ll/l967 Johnson et a]. l40/93 [45 Patented June 1971 Primary Examiner-Richard J. Herbst Assistant Examiner-- E. M. Combs 54 POWERED wmgq'ymc TOOL Attorney-Schmidt, Johnson, Hovey & William 20 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs. 7 [52] U.S. Cl 140/93.6, ABSTRACT: A handtoo' for wire tying of reinforcing bars or 140/] 140/1 140/149 the like is shaped for pistol grip handling and valve triggering, [5 1] Int. Cl B2lf9/02, and is provided with a wire feeder structure for guiding the 32 "7/00, B2lf15/04 wire into a loop around the bars, a wire cutter and a twister, all [50] Field of Search 53/l 35; Operable during each cycle of a reciprocable pneumatic 100/29. 30.3 /9 H8, piston. The stem of the piston rotates a chuck having jaws 29/( q which grip the ends of the loop during twisting. One of the jaws not only actuates the feeder but has a wire cutter thereon [56] References C'ted operable through a secondary pneumatic drive. A lost-motion N ED T T PATENTS assembly permits selection of loop size in accordance with the 3,254,434 4/1966 Collins et a]. l40/93.6 dimension of the object being tied.

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PATENIED Juuza 1971 SHEEI 1 BF 2 SEE l E INVENTOR James 5 Wang lMi/l/A a POWERED WIRE-TYING TOOL It is an important object of my present invention to provide a powered wire-tying tool which feeds wire automatically from a reel, loops the wire around the reinforcing rods, cuts the wire and twists the ends of the loop during each cycle of a reciprocable, fluid-driven piston.

Another important object of the instant invention isthe provision of a handtool for tying wire which also uses a fluid drive for the wire cutter and for one jaw of a rotatable chuck that grips the loop ends during twisting.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a wire-tying tool that utilizes the rotation of a combination cutter and clamping jaw sleeve to drive a feeder for the wire from the reel to the loop-forming guide structure.

A further important object of my instant inventionis to provide a pneumatic tool which may be easily and quickly adjusted to vary the size of the loop according to the combined diameters of the crossed members to be tied.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a powered wire-tying ,tool made pursuant to my present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional-view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary cross-sectional views taken on lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the bulkhead and adjustable dial removed from within the tubular body of the tool.

A tubular body 10 has a hollow, pistol grip handle 12 provided with an air inlet 14 and an aperture 16 for flow of air to a valve chamber 18. A valve 20, reciprocable in chamber 18, has a pair of bands 22 associated with ports 24 and 26, and a pair of bands 28 associated with ports 30 and 32. Ports 24 and 30 communicate with a cylinder 34 on opposite sides of a piston 36, whereas ports 26 and 32 discharge to the atmosphere.

Pins 38 and 40, rigid to valve 20, extend through ports 24 and 30 respectively within the path of travel of piston 36, and pin 38 couples with a link 42 reciprocably carried by handle 12. A trigger 44 extending into port 26 is yieldably biased away from handle 12 by a spring 46 on its pivot 48, and has a releasable connection with link 42 by a cross pin 50 biased into groove 52 of link 42 by a spring 54.

Cylinder 34 extends between a plug 56 and a bulkhead 58 which is in turn rotatable on a tube 60 that rotates within bearings 62 and 63. A stem 64 rigid to piston 36 has a pair of diametrically opposed, longitudinal grooves 66 which receive a pair of keys 68 within bulkhead 58. Stem 64 is also provided with helical grooves 70 that receive four keys 72 within tube 60 (FIGS. 5 and 6).

The extent of rotation of bulkhead 58 clockwise (viewing FIG. 6) is limited by its lug 74 engaging a stop 76, and anticlockwise by lug 74 engaging a lug 78 (FIG. 7) on a dial 80 that is rotatable on tube 60. Indicia 82 on dial 80 may be viewed through a window 84 during rotation of dial 80 by manipulation of a knob 86 secured to a threaded cross-shaft 88 which meshes with threads 90 on dial 80. Hub 92 of dial 80 is externally threaded, meshing with a nut 94 secured to body 10 by a fastener 96, causing bulkhead 58, hearing 63, dial 80 and tube 60 to reciprocate axially of body 10 during manipulation of knob 86.

A sleeve 98 reciprocable on tube 60 is held against rotation relative thereto by a stud 100 extending into a slot 102. The outer end of sleeve 98 has an internal beveled surface 104 forming one jaw of a chuck 106. A second jaw of chuck 106 includes a plug 108 secured to tube 60 and provided with a cap 110 freely rotatable on a stud 112 within plug 108. Sur face 104 terminates in an annular cutting edge 114 which may be serrated if desired, as shown.

A gear 116 and a piston 118 are rigid to sleeve 98 for rotation and reciprocation therewith, piston 118 being within a cup 120 rigid to tube 60. A spring 122 yieldably biases sleeve 98 inwardly, stud 100 holding piston 118 against movement into covering relation to air passages 124 in tube 60.

A rotatable reel 126 for a coil 128 of wire 130 is releasably attached to an am 132 removably secured to body 10. Wire 130 is fed through a tubular guide 134 that is in turn disposed between a pair of peripherally grooved and serrated wire-feeding discs 136 and 138. Guide 134 has side openings 140 into which the discs 136 and 138 extend to receive wire 130 and direct the same toward chuck 106. Disc 138 is driven in one direction from gear 116 through a gear 142 coupled with shaft 144 through an overrunning clutch 146.

Wire 130 emerges from guide tube 134 within the path of cutting edge 114 and is directed by the wire feeder 136, 138 between jaws 104 and 110. Wire 130 then strikes an anvil 148, forms into a loop'l50 around an object to be tied, and passes again between jaws 104 and 110, the free end 152 of wire 130 striking an elongated wear plate 154 disposed in spaced, tangential relationship to cap 110. Anvil 148 has a wire-receiving groove 156 and is adjustable laterally within slot 158 upon manipulation of knob 160. A plurality of rods 162 on body 10 aid in positioning the tool properly with respect to the crossed reinforcing members, or the like to be tied.

OPERATION Air inlet 14 is initially.coupled with a compressed air line (not shown), the airflow to chamber 18 via aperture 16 being stopped by inner bands 22 and 28. The tool is then positioned by the aid of rods 162 so that the loop passes around the object to be tied.

Actuation of trigger 44 shifts valve 20 rearwardly, closing port 32, opening port 24 to place cylinder 34 into communication with port 26, and opening port 30, permitting air to flow from chamber 18 to cylinder 34 between piston 36 and plug 56.

If lug 74 is clamped between lug 78 and stop 76, so that keys 68 in grooves 66 hold stem 64 against rotation, movement of piston 36 toward bulkhead 58 will cause stem 64 to rotate tube 60 in one direction through grooves 70 and keys 72 as stem 64.moves into tube 60. Sleeve 98 will also rotate by virtue of stud 100, driving gear 116 and therefore gear 142 to rotate feeder disc 138.

By the time piston 36 reaches bulkhead 58, loop 150 will have been formed as shown in FIG. 1. As piston 36 approaches bulkhead 58, it will strike pin 38, shifting valve 20 forwardly. Link 42 will project through trigger 44 as groove 52 passes out of engagement with pin 50. Bands 28 will move to place cylinder 34 into communication with the atmosphere through ports 30 and 32, and bands 22 will close port 26 as well as admit air from chamber 18 to cylinder 34 via port 24.

Air between piston 36 and bulkhead 58 will enter tube 60 around stem 64 and via grooves 66 and 70, flowing into cup 120 from passages 124. Piston 118 will shift sleeve 98 outwardly as stud 100 slides in slot 102 causing gear 116 to slide relative to gear 142.

This causes cutter 114 to shear wire 130 across the proximal end of guide 134, presenting a second end of loop 150 on that side of plug 108 diametrically opposed toloop end 152. Sleeve 98 continues to move outwardly by virtue of the air pressure between piston 118 to cup 120 until chuck 106 operates to clamp the ends of loop 150 between jaws 104 and 110.

At this moment the air pressure between bulkhead 58 and piston 36 commences to drive the latter toward plug 56, the return movement of stem 64 causing rotation of tube 60 in the opposite direction. The rotating chuck 106 will twist the wire ends of loop 150 tightly around the object surrounded by loop 150. Because of the clutch 146 retrograde rotation of disc 138 will not occur during the wire-twisting rotational movement of sleeve 98.

As piston 36 approaches plug 56 it engages pin 40, closing ports 30 and 32 and opening ports 24 and 26, whereupon spring 122 returns sleeve 98 to the position shown in FIG. 2. Upon release of trigger 44, spring 46 will cause pin 50 to reseat in groove 52.

Smaller wire loops 150 may be formed by manipulation of knob 86 to rotate dial 80 through shaft 88 and threads 90. This moves lug 78 away from lug 74 so that bulkhead 58 may rotate to an extent equal to the distance between stop 76 and lug 78. Hence, as piston 36 commences its movement away from plug 56, no rotative motion will be imparted to tube 60 as piston 36, stem 64 and bulkhead 58 rotate, moving lug 74 against lug 78. During such movement of piston 36 away from plug 56, no wire is fed by the feeder 136, 138 to the guide structure 134, 148 and 154.

The smaller diameter loop 150 resulting from delay in rotation of disc 138 also requires repositioning of chuck 106. As dial 80 is rotated to increase the distance between stop 76 and lug 78, hub 92, rotating in nut 94, shifts jaws 104 and 110 inwardly, placing jaw 110 closer to anvil 148.

lclaim:

1. In a wire-tying tool:

a body;

a wire twister rotatably carried by said body;

said twister including a chuck provided with a pair of jaws on the twister, both rotatable with the twister;

one of the jaws being movable toward and away from the other of said jaws;

a wire feeder carried by the body;

mechanism operably connecting said twister with the feeder for actuating the latter from the twister in response to rotation of the twister in one direction;

structure on the body for guiding the wire into a loop around an object to be tied as the wire is fed to said structure by the feeder;

said one jaw having a cutter responsive to movement of said one jaw toward said other jaw for severing the wire between the feeder and said structure after formation of said loop, presenting a pair of loop ends; and

said chuck being disposed for receiving said ends between the jaws thereof in clamping relationship thereto whereby said ends are twisted to attach the loop to said object when the twister and the jaws are rotated as a unit in the opposite direction.

2. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 1, said mechanism including an element secured to said one jaw for rotation therewith.

3. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 1, t

said other jaw having a rotatable support reciprocably carrying said one jaw;

a drive for said one jaw having parts mounted on the support and on said one jaw respectively for rotation therewith; and

said parts being disposed to receive a driving force therebetween for separating the same and thereby moving said one jaw toward the other jaw.

4. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein said driving force if fluid pressure.

5. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 3,

a fluid pressure drive for said twister carried by the body for movement toward and away from said structure; and

means responsive to movement of said twister drive to one end of its path toward said structure for directing fluid pressure between said parts.

6. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 1. said mechanism including an overrunning clutch, permitting rotation of the twister in said opposite direction without actuating the feeder.

7. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 1,

a drive for said twister carried by the body for movement toward and away from said structure; and j a coupling between said drive and said twister for rotating the latter in said one direction as the drive moves toward said structure and in said opposite direction as the drive moves away from said structure.

8. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 1, a drive for said twister carried by the body and operably coupled with the twister; and a variable lost-motion assembly carried by the body and 5 connected with said drive for selectively varying the size of said loop between successive operating cycles of the tool.

9. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 1,

a drive for said twister reciprocably and rotatably carried by the body;

a coupling between the drive and the twister for transmitting the reciprocable movement of the drive into rotative motion in said twister when the drive is held against rotation;

a rotatable member for holding said drive against rotation;

and

means for varying the extent of rotation of said member to vary the size of said loop between successive operating cycles of the tool.

10. A wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 9, said last-mentioned means being operable to change the position of said jaws relative to said structure and to change the length of wire directed to said structure by the feeder.

l 1. In a wire-tying tool:

a body; a control assembly rotatably supported by said body; a wire feeder carried by the body; mechanism operably connecting said assembly with the feeder for actuating the latter from the assembly when the assembly is rotated in one direction; structure on the body for guiding the wire into a loop around an object to be tied as the wire is fed to said structure by the feeder; and said assembly being provided with a cutter for severing the wire between the feeder and said structure after formation of said loop, presenting a pair of loop ends, and with a chuck for clamping said ends to the assembly after severance of the wire, whereby said ends are twisted to at- 40 tach the loop to said object when the assembly is rotated in the opposite direction. 12. ln a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 11, said assembly including a rotatable element; a reciprocable drive member for said element; and means operably interconnecting the member and said element for rotating the latter during reciprocation of said member. 13. In a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 12, said cutter being shiftable on the element; and

means operable upon movement of said member to one end of its path of travel for shifting the cutter relative to the element in a direction to sever the wire. .14. In a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 13, 5 5 means securing the cutter to the element for rotation therewith; and said mechanism including a gear train having a gear on the cutter for actuating the feeder during said movement of the member to said one end of its path of travel. 15. In a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 11,

said assembly including a rotatable element having the cutter mounted thereon for rotation therewith and for movement relative thereto; and said wire being severed during movement of the cutter rela- 6 5 tive to the assembly toward said structure.

16. In a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 15, said chuck including a head on the assembly; said head and said cutter being normally disposed to receive the wire therebetween during said formation of the loop; and

said ends being clamped between the head and the cutter during said twisting thereof. 17. In a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 15, said mechanism including a drive on the cutter operable to actuate the feeder during rotation of the cutter in said one direction.

18. In a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 17, said mechanism including an overrunning clutch, permitting rotation of said cutter in the opposite direction without actuation of the feeder.

19. In a wire-tying tool:

a body;

first power means including a member reciprocably carried by the body;

driven means including an element rotatably carried by the body; reciprocation relative thereto;

means interconnecting the member and the element for rotating the latter in one direction during movement of the member in one direction, and rotating the element in the opposite direction during movement of the member in the opposite direction;

a device mounted on said element for rotation therewith and a wire feeder carried by the body;

means operably connecting said device with the feeder for actuating the latter from the device in response to rotation of the element and the device as a unit in said one direction;

structure on the body for guiding the wire into a loop around an object to be tied as the wire is fed to said structure by the feeder;

cutter means on the device for severing the wire between the feeder and said structure after formation of said loop, presenting a pair of loop ends;

second power means carried by the body for shifting the device relative to the element in a direction to sever the wire; and

chuck means having a first jaw on the element and a second jaw on the device for clamping said ends therebetween, whereby the latter are twisted to attach the loop to said object when the element and the device are rotated as a unit in said opposite direction.

20. in a wire-tying tool as claimed in claim 19;

said member being rotatable within the body;

means for holding the member against rotation during reciprocation within the body; and

said means interconnecting the member and the element operating to rotate the latter only while the member is held against rotation by said holding means during reciprocation. 

